Policy Brief: COVID-19 in an Urban World
Coronavirus is changing the face of hunger across the world, according to a report published by the United Nations. The UN’s ‘Policy Brief on COVID-19 in an Urban World’, confirms fears that cities are on the front lines of the current rise in acute hunger. The new “epicentre” of the pandemic, urban hubs account for an estimated 90 percent of COVID-19 cases, leaving millions at risk of starvation, it says.With an estimated 90 percent of all reported COVID-19 cases, urban areas have become the epicentre of the pandemic. The size of their populations and their high level of global and local inter connectivity make them particularly vulnerable to the spread of the virus. On the other hand, there is no evidence to suggest that density per se correlates to higher virus transmission. Cities can manage this crisis and emerge as the hubs of energy, resilience and innovation that make them such vibrant and appealing places for many to live. But this will take conscious policy choices, as this policy brief will show, particularly with respect to inequalities, local capacities and a green, inclusive recovery.
